American manufacturer GM and its Chinese joint venture, SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), announced this weekend the creation of a new passenger vehicles brand in China. Set to bear the name Baojun (Chinese term for “treasured horse”) the new brand will be targeted at the affordable passenger cars market in China.
Although no details of a Baojun car were released, it would appear such a vehicle already exists and it combines the expertise of the three carmakers taking part in the joint-venture. The car, developed at SAIC’s Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center in Shanghai, will be distributed through existing SGMW dealerships and, if needed, trough more stores.
“The introduction of Baojun is part of GM’s multi-brand strategy in China,” Kevin Wale, GM China Group managing director said in a statement.
“Baojun will complement our other brands sold in China including our fastest-growing mainstream nameplate, Chevrolet. It will enable us to better address the increasingly segmented Chinese vehicle market.”
The establishing of a new brand in China is not at all surprising, given the incredible performance achieved by the Asian country in the first six months of the year. For the first time in history, American manufacturer GM sold more vehicles in China than in the US, with 1.21 million units hitting the roads in the first half.
“Baojun is being positioned as a reliable partner with an image that is confident, smart and dependable,” promises Shen Yang, SAIC-GM-Wuling general manager. “We aim to surpass customer expectations by creating a brand that combines world-class quality with low ownership costs.”
Although no details of a Baojun car were released, it would appear such a vehicle already exists and it combines the expertise of the three carmakers taking part in the joint-venture. The car, developed at SAIC’s Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center in Shanghai, will be distributed through existing SGMW dealerships and, if needed, trough more stores.
“The introduction of Baojun is part of GM’s multi-brand strategy in China,” Kevin Wale, GM China Group managing director said in a statement.
“Baojun will complement our other brands sold in China including our fastest-growing mainstream nameplate, Chevrolet. It will enable us to better address the increasingly segmented Chinese vehicle market.”
The establishing of a new brand in China is not at all surprising, given the incredible performance achieved by the Asian country in the first six months of the year. For the first time in history, American manufacturer GM sold more vehicles in China than in the US, with 1.21 million units hitting the roads in the first half.
“Baojun is being positioned as a reliable partner with an image that is confident, smart and dependable,” promises Shen Yang, SAIC-GM-Wuling general manager. “We aim to surpass customer expectations by creating a brand that combines world-class quality with low ownership costs.”